Piper PA-24-250 accident near Everglades City, Florida, February 21, 1999
On February 21, 1999 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8309P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Everglades City, Florida (Everglades Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the PIC to maintain directional control on takeoff roll following a loss of power brought about by fuel starvation due to the PIC's failure to verify the proper setting of the fuel selector valve, and the subsequent collision with trees during the attempt to abort the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 1999 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Everglades City, Florida · Everglades Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8309P · no longer on the register · serial 24-3559
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated his engine run-up, power application, and rotation on takeoff appeared normal until the airplane settled back onto the runway and would not respond to further pitch control inputs. He had no sensory perception of power loss, but the airplane would not fly and he lost directional control off the right side of the runway into trees. Subsequent examination of the airplane by FAA Inspectors revealed that the fuel selector valve was in the 'off' position and no fuel was in the fuel lines to the carburetor or primer.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 636 hours in all; 176 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 582 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,959 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 9, 1998; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: XO1 at 5:40 pm
- Destination: EYW Key West FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from APF, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.